Tips and Info from DPI's January 29, 2026 Youth Services Newsletter

  Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is an email newsletter chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list!

Here is the January 29, 2026 edition:

 

Hello All,  Check out these youth services weekly resources and reminders!  Teen Internship Informational Webinar – Tomorrow!  Registration for the DPI Bureau of Libraries Teen Internship informational webinar at 10 a.m., January 30, 2026, is still open. View the Teen Internship story on the WILibraries for Everyone blog.  CSLP Slogan (2029) and Theme (2030) Survey  The Collaborative Summer Library Program survey is open! Please take a moment to fill out the survey and make your recommendations for the 2029 Slogan (for the Nature theme) and the 2030 Theme. This survey is open to all libraries in the country, so please feel free to share it with staff at your library. The deadline to submit your recommendations is Monday, February 2, 2026.  CSLP Newsletter  Check out the latest Collaborative Summer Library Program full of information on Rules of Use and Trademarks, summer resources from Dan Santat, official PSAs, and more!  Money Smart Week (April 4-11, 2026) Kids Read Program  The Money Smart Kids Read Program, targeted at kids ages 5 to 8 years old, is an enjoyable way to introduce financial responsibility to youth through programming at your library. Each family attending a Money Smart Week Program gets to take home a FREE copy of this year’s book, What Can I Buy?, written by Julie Moriarity. Complete this form by January 30, 2026, to request the number of books you will distribute to families at your library.  The 2026 Charlotte Zolotow Award  The Cooperative Children’s Book Center is pleased to announce the winner of the 2026 Charlotte Zolotow Award, Angie Kang, for her book Our Lake. The committee also named three Honor Books and eight Highly Commended titles. The full list and press release are available on the CCBC website.  American Library Association  Nominations are open for the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity. This annual prize ($10,000) honors a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity and dignity intact.  The deadline to apply is March 1, 2026.  Youth Media Awards  The American Library Association this week announced the top books, digital media, video, and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards.   CLEL Bell Shortlist   The CLEL Bell Award recognizes high-quality children’s books that provide excellent support of early literacy development in young children, ages 0 to 5. The Shortlist presents the top five titles in each literacy category. Librarians, caregivers, and all children’s book lovers are encouraged to vote for their favorites on our website until January 31, 2026. The winners will be announced in mid-February.    Jeni Schomber  Public Library Consultant  The DPI does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration only. Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

ALA Youth Media Awards

This year's ALA Youth Media Awards are in!! The ALA released their top picks for children and young adults. This includes the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards as well as recognizing the honor books that were considered. Here are some highlights from the awards:

• John Newberry Medal: All the Blues in the Sky, written by Renée Watson

  

  When thirteen-year-old Sage's best friend dies, Sage struggles with grief and feels that she is at fault, but when she joins a grief group, she slowly learns to heal.

  
  
• Randolph Caldecott Medal: Fireworks, illustrated by Cátia Chien and written by Matthew Burgess
  

  

  Part poem, part portable fireworks display with a vertical gatefold, this picture book from the award-winning team of Matthew Burgess and Catia Chien highlights the simple delights of a steamy July day in the city as two siblings eagerly await a spectacular fireworks display. POP!

  
  
• Coretta Scott King Author Book Award: Will’s Race for Home, written by Jewell Parker Rhodes

  

  During the land rush of 1889, African American Will and his father journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to stake their claim.

  
  
• Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award: The Library in the Woods, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey

  

  A Black family maintains a farm in North Carolina until, after the crops are destroyed two years running, Junior’s father moves his wife and son into town. Although the library there excludes Black residents, Junior discovers a log cabin in a forest clearing, where he can borrow three books per visit. This library’s collection includes many books by Black writers.
  

• Coretta Scott King—John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: Under the Neon Lights, written by Arriel Vinson

  

  Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman lives for Saturdays at WestSide Roll, the iconic neighborhood roller rink. On these magical nights, Jae can lose herself in the music of DJ Sunny, the smell of nachos from the concession, and the crowd of some of her favorite people: old heads, dance crews, and other regulars like herself. Here, Jae and other Black teens can fully be themselves.

• Michael L. Printz Award: Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Set at a classic drive-in restaurant that seems to exist in every Native community, this anthology unites the stories of teens from all kinds of backgrounds through the shared theme of Native joy, with stories and poems reflecting hope, healing, humor, love, friendship, romance, and joy. 

• Schneider Family Book Awards
• Young Child: Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe, written by Amy S. Hansen and Wanda Díaz Merced, illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Wanda Díaz Merced wanted to study the stars. But when she lost her sight, she had to find a new way to work. Through the use of sonification, which turns data into sound, she was able to make a path for herself and other scientists with disabilities.

• Middle Grade: Where Only Storms Grow, written by Alyssa Colman

  

  During the worst storm of the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma, twins Howe and Joanna must put their differences aside and work together to save their farm from ruin.

  
  
• Young Adult: Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen, written by James Robinson, illustrated by Brian Rea

  

  From Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes a breathtaking illustrated memoir for middle-grade readers (and adults, too)-inspired by the viral, Emmy-nominated short film Whale Eyes. Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James's point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.

  
  
• Pura Belpré Awards
• Children’s Author Award: The Pecan Sheller, written by Lupe Ruiz-Flores

  

  In 1930s San Antonio, after her father's death, thirteen-year-old Petra must quit school to work at a pecan shelling factory where dangerous conditions and low wages push her to take a vital stand for change.

  
  
• Young Adult Author Award: On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres





Death waits for Estrella (Noche) Villanueva. In her human form, she is a lonely science girl grieving the tragic accidental drowning of her girlfriend, Dante Fuentes. At night, she is a Lechuza who visits her dead girlfriend at the lake, desperate for more time with her. The longer Dante's soul roams the earth, the more likely it is that she will fade into the unknown, lost forever, but Noche cannot let go.

• Stonewall Book Award: Halfway to Somewhere, written and illustrated by Jose Pimienta



Ave must adjust to a new country, a new school, and a new family dynamic when their mom and younger brother move to Kansas while their father and older sister stay in Mexico during the parents' divorce.

• William C. Morris Award: All the Noise at Once, written by DeAndra Davis

  

  Aiden has always dreamed of playing football like his star quarterback brother, Brandon. After struggling with an overstimulation meltdown during summer tryouts, Aiden gets a second chance when a spot unexpectedly opens on the team. However, not all teammates are happy with his inclusion, worried about how Aiden's autism will affect the game.
  
  
  

  
  
• YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown, written by Candace Fleming

  

  A chronicle of one of American history's most notorious cults, a book including first-person accounts follows Jim Jones from humble origins to "Jonestown" in Guyana, South America, and traces his transformation of Peoples Temple into a nefarious experiment in mind control.
  
  
  

To see all the complete list of award winners and honor books, stop here. [American Library Association announces 2026 Youth Media Award winners. ALA website. January 26, 2026.]

Tips and Info from DPI's Jan 30, 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is chockfull of great resources. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list! 

Here is the January 30, 2025 edition:

 ALA Youth Media Awards

• In case you missed it, check out the winners and honors from this year's ALA Youth Media Awards announced on Monday, January 27, 2025. Press Release

Color Our World 2025 CSLP Pinterest Board

• Check out the CSLP Pinterest Board for inspiration for the Color Our World summer program. Decorating ideas! Craft ideas! Displays! Programming for children, teens, and adults! And so much more!

STARNet webinar: Summer Fun for All Ages with GLOBE Citizen Science

• Tuesday, March 4 at 12:00 p.m. 
• Join STARnet and the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC) to round out planning for your 2025 summer library programs. Discover hands-on STEAM activities that can support either the Collaborative Summer Library Program (Color Our World) or iREAD (Level up at your Library with games and puzzles). These can be used in active and passive library programs to inspire and prepare patrons of all ages – from kids to seniors - to participate in NASA GLOBE Observer citizen science. This webinar will take place at 11:00 am Mountain Standard Time.
• Register Today

Children's Book Week

• As part of the longest-running national celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading, schools, libraries, and bookstores will celebrate Children’s Book Week on May 5-11 and on November 3-9 from coast to coast in all 50 states.
• Sign up to participate and receive two free posters. 

WebJunction

• WebJunction equips library staff with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to power strong libraries that are the heart of vibrant communities. WebJunction is FREEE and open to all libraries to use. 
• Check out the Course Catalog. You will need to create a free account to enroll in a course.

Tips and Info from DPI's Jan 2, 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is chockfull of great resources. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list! 

Here is the January 2, 2025 edition:

Hello All and welcome to the new year!

Grant Opportunity Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture

• This family literacy initiative connects Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI), and American Indigenous or Alaskan Native (AIAN) communities across generations. The Talk Story micro-grant celebrates and explores AANHPI and AIAN stories through books, oral traditions, and cultural arts to provide interactive and enriching experiences for all ages. This grant provides financial support to libraries and community organizations who are motivated to promote intergenerational literacy through programming, services, and collections. 
• The Grant Information and Application fields can be accessed on the APALA website: apalaweb.org/talkstorytogether/grant/  and the AILA website: ailanet.org.
• To submit your proposal, please use the online form: https://forms.gle/3vUy3EuCFUxBuiKZ9. 
• Deadline March 15, 2025
• Grant Amount: $500

EBSCOhost Database Migration

• Any EBSCOhost profiles that are still on the older user interface will be migrated to the Explora user interface on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. BadgerLink resource, Points of View Reference Source, is likely to be the only noticeable update for most Wisconsin schools and libraries.
• View the EBSCO Database Story

Color Our World with Citizen Science: From Space to Sea

• Tuesday, February 4, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (CORRECTED DATE!)
• Join SciStarter, STAR Net, and the Collaborative Summer Reading Program for an engaging webinar that explores how libraries can bring the 2024 Summer Reading Theme, Color Our World, to life through citizen science. Discover hands-on STEM activities for all ages, from exploring the wonders of space to uncovering the mysteries of the deep sea. Learn how these activities align with the theme and provide opportunities for library users to contribute to real-world scientific research. Gain valuable resources and ideas to integrate citizen science into your library’s programming, inspiring curiosity and creativity in your community!
• Register Today!

ALA Youth Media Awards

• Mark your calendars for the ALA Youth Media Awards representing the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards.
• The 2025 Youth Media Award announcements will take place on Monday, Jan. 27th at 9:00 a.m. CTduring ALA's LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience conference in Phoenix.
• Those not in Phoenix for LibLearnX can watch a livestream of the award announcements, which will also be available on the American Library Association Facebook page.

Jeni Schomber 

Public Library Consultant 

Library Services Team 

Division for Libraries and Technology 

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 

608-266-2749 

jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov